1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of bathing apparatuses for disabled persons, and in particular to a disability shower which allows a disabled person to shower in a seated position while cleaning all body surfaces including those body surfaces normally inaccessible when seated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taking a shower is a regular, daily activity for most people. For those who are disabled, elderly or otherwise physically challenged, including disabled veterans, however, standing for a shower can be difficult or impossible. Taking a shower while seated, such as by using a simple shower chair, can be problematic because the body surfaces upon which the person is seated, such as the buttocks and backs of the thighs, are obscured by the chair and made difficult to clean. This situation is especially difficult for the more seriously disabled who are unable to shower themselves and must be bathed by an assistant. Manipulating the disabled person on a shower chair to clean all body surfaces can be physically demanding for the assistant and hazardous for the disabled person who is subject to fall or topple over during the process.
What is needed is a shower system which allows a person to shower while in a seated position, but which provides a mechanism for exposing all body surfaces, including those body surfaces which are normally obscured while sitting. Preferably, the system would also allow the user to be showered automatically with minimal input from the user or from an assistant.